


Beautiful Gestures during Dark Times

by a1_kitkat



Series: Fictober 2020 [8]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex just wants his dad's love, Alternate Universe - Mob, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Bottom Forrest Long, Extremely Dubious Consent, Forced Prostitution, Good Brother Gregory Manes, Jesse Manes Being an Asshole, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Sex Trafficking, Top Alex Manes, Virgin Forrest Long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:01:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26893342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: Jesse Manes is a ruthless mafia-type businessman, beating down the competition and anyone else who stands in his way... Even his son's aren't safe from his powerful and terrifying ways. Each serve their purpose; Clay, his drug smuggler. Flint, his weapons mover and Alex, his youngest, is forced to service his associates.One day, a potential investor declines an evening of fun with Alex, instead asking him to help his nephew lose his virginity. Alex is sceptical but agrees to please Jesse.When Alex meets Forrest Long, he isn't sure what to expect but it quickly becomes a night he'll never forgetPROMPT USED - PROSTITUTION/SEX TRAFFICKING**If you're uncertain if you should proceed, read the notes at the end**
Relationships: Alex Manes/Jim Valenti, Alex Manes/Original Male Character(s), Forrest Long/Alex Manes
Series: Fictober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947391
Comments: 14
Kudos: 15





	Beautiful Gestures during Dark Times

‘Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty,’ he slowly counted the seconds in his mind. Waiting; eyes closed beneath the blindfold, arms aching from where they’ve been shackled to the bed.

‘Forty-three, forty-four, forty-five,’ he paused when he heard the door open then close.

His body relaxed at the sound of his brother’s voice. He felt the dip in the mattress as Greg knelt beside him. Eyes still squeezed closed; the blindfold slipped away but he waited until he heard the click of the key in the lock before he opened them.

Greg carefully lowered Alex’s arm to the bed before placing the key in the second lock to release his other wrist. The familiar gasp of relief escaped his lips as Greg placed his arms into a comfortable position. Pins and needles were already tingling his skin.

“So, how was it?” Gregory asked him.

Alex scoffed with laughter as Greg uncapped a bottle of water and held it to his lips, letting his brother take small sips.

“Same shit, different dick,” Alex replied with a sigh.

“You know you don’t have to keep doing this.”

“I could say the same to you.”

They held each other’s gaze as they each considered their brother’s words. Both knew it wasn’t true, they weren’t like other families, weren’t free to come and go as they pleased. Both too terrified to attempt to run away. Greg had tried once… 

“You need help getting up?” Greg asked.

“Nah, I just need a minute,” Alex replied.

“I, uh, started a bath for you.”

It hurt his arm but Alex reached for Greg’s hand and thanked him. He smiled down at his baby brother and ran his hand through his hair, patting the top of his head. He retracted his hand, examining the sticky mess now on his fingers and made a face.

“Uh, sorry about that,” Alex whispered, averting his gaze.

“Eh, not the first time, won’t be the last,” Greg replied. God, he _wished_ it would be the last time. He hated what his father was putting Alex through.

There wasn’t anything to wipe his hand on but the soiled sheets so he used them. When Alex unsteadily climbed to his feet, Greg ripped the sheets from the bed and scrunched them up. Alex walked ahead of him all the way out the door and he caught a glimpse of the bite marks on his neck. He clenched his hand into a fist; he hated his father so much. One day he’d get away from this awful place and he’d take Alex with him.

His brother disappeared into the bathroom and Greg threw the sheets into the garbage. He went to the closet and pulled out a fresh set then returned to _the room_ and threw the clean sheets on the bed.

*

Alex spent a long time in the relaxing bubble bath his brother had drawn for him. He stayed until the bubbles vanished and the water was cold then he dried himself off, wrapped his body in a big, thick, fluffy robe and headed back into the main wing of the house. 

He quietly slipped up the stairs and into his own bedroom where Gregory was waiting for him with a bottle of scotch and two glasses.

“Drink?” Greg asked as he poured.

“You know it,” Alex replied as he joined his brother on the couch in front of the fireplace. “How much longer are you gonna keep doing this?”

“For as long as you are,”

“Greg-”

“I hate that he’s making you do this… that he’s _been_ making you do it for years and I’ve tried… tried to stop him but…”

“It’s okay-”

“No, it’s _not_ okay, Alex. You’re my baby brother and I should be able to protect you from stuff like this.”

“Flint is his weapons dealer and Clay is his drug mule but _I’m_ the one you’re worried about?”

“They’re both as sadistic as dad; they _like_ what they’re doing and are both well paid for it but you…”

“He pays me,” Alex shrugged. “I’m just not allowed to have the money until I’m twenty-six,”

“ _Twenty-six_? That’s still three years away!”

“Come on, I’ve been doing this for how many years already? Actually, don’t answer that… it’s better for me to not think about it.”

“Alex-”

“It’s not _that_ bad,” Alex cut him off but Greg could see he was blinking back tears. “It’s like dad says… I’m _finally_ good for something.”

“Alex, don’t listen to him! You deserve so much better than this! I _will_ get us out of here someday. I promise!”

“You _can’t_ , Greg. It’s too dangerous. I can’t lose you, too,” Alex grabbed Greg’s hand. “We can just wait it out. Three years isn’t that long and-”

“It _is_ when he’s putting you through so much!”

“I can handle it, I swear. It’s… it’s just sex, that’s all… no big deal.” He choked on the words but Greg was polite enough not to say anything. He just slid closer and wrapped his arm around his brother. “You can’t do anything stupid or reckless. Dad caught you last time and you were lucky he only broke your arm and your leg.”

“Yeah, _lucky_ ,” Greg scoffed.

“You’re still _alive_ , Greg,” The tears began to spill down his cheeks. “Others weren’t so lucky.”

Greg didn’t argue that; he knew exactly who Alex was talking about. Jim Valenti’s death still haunted Greg to this day but Alex had taken it worse than anyone…

“You’re right,” he quickly agreed. “I’m sorry,” he placed a kiss on Alex's crown, his hair still damp from the bath. “I’m sorry.”

Alex stayed curled in Greg’s arms until his brother gently pulled away, wiped the tears from his eyes and held his gaze.

“You want me to call Clay? Have him bring up a pizza?” He asked.

“Yes, please,” Alex agreed in a small voice before pouring himself a second drink. 

It took nearly an hour for Clay to appear with the pizza and he didn’t say a word to either of them, simply knocked on the door, handed the box to Greg then left.

“You could’ve gotten it yourself if dad still trusted you,” Alex said when Greg sat down on the couch with the box.

“At least he doesn’t make me wear the ankle monitor anymore, small victories?” Greg took a slice and bit into it. “I swear, Alex, I _will_ get us out of here one day.”

Alex reached for his brother’s hand.

“I trust you,” Alex replied. “But be _careful_. I told you, I can’t lose you, too,”

“You won’t, I promise,”

*

Breakfast was a terrifying affair for the Manes men, they were forced to sit together at the table in the formal dining room and be served by the wait staff. Jesse sat at the head of the table, with Clay and Flint on either side, then there were two empty seats between Alex and Clay, opposite Alex was Greg. 

Alex likened it to an episode of Downton Abbey which he and Greg had binge watched while Greg had been recovering from his broken leg and arm after his botched escape attempt.

The way the staff in the household were as terrified of Jesse as Greg was almost amusing but they were all paid to bow to his every command… one of those commands being that Jesse be served first then, on alternate days, Clay or Flint was next followed by Alex then Greg.

There had been a time when Greg was served before Alex but now that he’d fallen out of favour with Jesse, he went last. Alex often expected to find he’d been demoted to eating downstairs with the staff but clearly Jesse needed to be able to keep an eye on him at all times.

Alex had planned to spend the day in the music room but as the plates were being cleared, his father affixed him with his usual sneer and barked for Alex to meet him in his office at 10am.

“Yes, father,” Alex agreed.

He knew what that meant so he traipsed up to his room in order to change his clothes. A meeting in Jesse’s office meant a business deal was going down and Alex needed to be present. He brushed his hair in just the right way and made certain not to button his shirt completely.

At ten minutes to ten, he embarked on the long trek from his bedroom to the wing of the estate with Jesse’s office and the _other_ rooms of which he conducted his business. Alex was under strict instructions to never arrive on time, he had to be exactly five minutes late. He checked the clock on the wall then nodded for Parker to announce him. The man knocked three times on the door before opening it and Alex stepped into the room.

“Late, as _always_ ,” Jesse barked at him. “At least he obeys everyone else’s orders… especially when it matters, don’t you, son?”

“Yes, father,” Alex replied with a slight bow.

His eyes immediately flickered to the other man in the room. He appeared to be around his father’s age, no surprise there. Jesse only seemed to do business with men his age or older. Why was it never a rich and attractive thirty-year-old who Alex could show a good time to? No, it was always creepy old men who got off on the mere idea of dominating a younger man.

“Well damn,” the man whistled as his eyes gave Alex a once over. “You weren’t kidding.”

His gaze locked with Alex’s.

“I’d heard stories, rumours, of your… attractiveness not to mention your stamina,” he explained with a slight sneer.

Alex kept his expression neutral; it wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard before.

“He’ll be perfect for what I need,” he added.

Alex held his tongue, his mind already wondering what type of weird shit this man was into. He was pretty certain nothing could surprise him anymore, there really wasn’t anything he hadn’t been made to do yet… from toe sucking to cross dressing to being hogtied to… He blinked but continued to stare him down, to show he wasn’t afraid of the man.

He raised his finger to his lips, teasingly biting his fingernail as he looked into the man’s eyes.

“Whatever you need, I’m here to please you,” Alex said in his most seductive tone.

“That’s enough, Alex,” Jesse hissed at him. “You may go.”

Alex fluttered his eyes at the other man, as was custom, then sauntered from the room. As the door was closing behind him, he heard the man mutter something about being a waste of time only for Jesse to insist he would deliver. It was a very unusual conversation indeed.

He let out a breath and returned to his room to change clothes again. He still wasn’t sure what had happened in there. The man hadn’t reacted the way his father’s associates normally did. More often than not, they’d ask to ‘sample the goods’ first. Jesse would excuse himself for a ‘business call’ and Alex would be asked to strip naked, give a blowjob or both.

Alex tossed the clothes he’d worn for barely ten minutes into the hamper, knowing one of the staff would collect them soon enough. He rarely saw the cleaning staff; they were practically like ninjas in their movements. His clothes just vanish from the hamper then reappear in his closet, clean and pressed a day later.

He missed being friends with the staff but he was certain his father had found a way to ensure none of them ever came near Alex. Maybe he feared one would sympathize with his plight and try to help him escape.

Alex headed to the music room, grabbed his guitar and sank down on the seat beneath the window. The grounds were immaculately cared for and the pool looked so inviting but he wasn’t in the mood. His eyes scanned the vicinity, in the very far distance he could see one of the gardeners, tending the roses. In his youth, the previous gardener had used to sneak roses to him whenever he played in the grounds. As an adult, Alex barely set foot outside the manor because wandering the estate led him to the locked gates surrounding the property… The gates Jesse insisted were to keep unwanted guests out, when Alex knew they were to keep disobedient children _in_.

He strummed his guitar, absently playing a tune, when Greg came wandering in.

“Sounds good,” he said as he flopped down on the ground.

“Thanks,” Alex replied.

“So…. how did the meeting go?”

“Uneventful.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I was surprised too.”

“Just your standard run of the mill-”

“No, nothing… Like _nothing_ happened. The guy gave me a once over then they told me to leave.”

“Huh.”

“What? What’s that? I don’t like that tone!”

“Nothing, it’s nothing,”

“Greg?”

“Nothing, it just seems weird is all.” He shrugged.

“Maybe this one isn’t as sleazy as the others?” Alex suggested. “Or he’s just not picky about how I look… some of them only care that I have a mouth and an ass they can plow.”

Alex watched as Greg scrunched up his face in mild disgust. He didn’t care that his brother was gay, he just didn’t like hearing how blasé he was about the things their dad’s ‘friends’ did to him. 

“I’m sure I’ll find out more later,” Alex shrugged. “He kinda didn’t seem that into me, maybe I’m not his type and he’ll give me a reprieve? Like he’s just pretending because he thinks that’s what dad expects him to want?”

“How will you fake it for the cameras?” Greg asked.

“I’m sure I can come up with something,”

Greg reached over and tapped Alex’s ankle, causing his brother to gaze down at him.

“I do wish you didn’t have to do this,” he said to him.

“I know,” Alex smiled. “Now grab your guitar and play with me, please?”

*

Dinner most evenings was as awkward as breakfast but sometimes they had other guests too. Growing up, Alex had grown used to Jim Valenti being present along with his son, Kyle. Until the day Jim had deemed it ‘too dangerous’ for Kyle to hang around and he’d shipped him off to boarding school, then college and med school. 

Jim had spent most of his money on paying for Kyle’s tuition and feeding his gambling habits that each time he’d needed money for Kyle, he’d sold more and more of his share of the business to Jesse until Jim had next to nothing left. 

Now, Jesse mostly invited new investors to dine with them but only after they’d had their fun with Alex. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for him, having to share a table with these men after the often-depraved things they did to him but Jesse appeared to enjoy his son’s discomfort.

Tonight, was a strange evening for their guest was the man Alex had met that morning, the one who didn’t appear to have the slightest interest in him. He wasn’t used to this and it rattled him.

After the meal, his brothers were all excused but Alex was instructed to stay. A feeling of unease washed over him. Perhaps this had all been a trick? Had his father found another way to humiliate or exploit him?

“I think we should cut straight to business,” the man said. He was addressing Jesse but his eyes were on Alex.

He knew how to play his part. Alex picked up his glass of wine and took a sip, examining the man over the rim of the glass.

“Our guest is looking to purchase twenty percent of the business, Alex,” Jesse explained. “A very generous offer indeed.”

“It does sound very generous, sir,” Alex agreed. “And what exactly is my part in this?”

“It is my understanding that an investment in the company, secures me… let’s call it an investment in you,” the man stated.

“That _is_ an unusual way to put it,” Alex said.

“But… I’m not _personally_ interested in such an arrangement for myself,” he continued.

Alex slammed his glass down on the table, his eyes darting to meet his father’s gaze.

“So now you’re subletting me?” Alex snapped in anger.

“No, not exactly,”

But Alex was already on his feet. It was bad enough his father pimped him out to business associates but now he was going to have to service associates of the associates? There was a line, surely.

“Not me, personally,” he said. “But my nephew.”

“Your nephew?” Alex repeated.

His heart skipped a beat as he envisioned a much younger man before him. The very thought _was_ intriguing but just how much younger was he talking?

“He was always a bit of a strange child, full disclosure, and I love him dearly,” he added. “It is my intention for him to take over the business when I retire but that’s a very long way off.” He laughed. “The reason I require your… services… is I just recently learned the boy is still a virgin and, frankly, that’s rather embarrassing.”

“You… You want me to…” Alex’s mind was struggling to comprehend what they were asking of him. “How, uh, old is he? Because I’m not comfortable with the idea of-”

“Twenty-three,”

“Oh, couldn’t you just hire-”

“Alex!” Jesse barked at him. “This isn’t just about business. The man cares deeply for his nephew and doesn’t want just any old hooker to handle the job. I trust this is something you’re more than capable of handling.”

He felt a rare sense of joy wash over him. Jesse’s words were about as close to a compliment as he’d ever gotten from his father.

“Yes, Sir,” Alex agreed.

“So, just show the boy a good time and perhaps there’ll even be a reward in it for you?”

“Really?”

Alex had _never_ been gifted a reward before. He had no idea what it could possibly be but he was very eager to find out. He slowly sank back down into his chair and apologized for his outburst.

“So, Sir, may I ask your nephew’s name?”

“Forrest… Forrest Long.”

***

A name alone wasn’t much to go by but over the coming days Alex amused himself with outlandish daydreams about what the young man would be like. His heart went out to him as he was fairly certain he wasn’t exactly in on his uncle’s plan to rid him of his virginity.

When Alex told Greg the news, he was sceptical but Alex could only appeal to his brother’s more sensitive side. Alex himself had a terrible memory of his own virginity being torn away from him and if he could spare someone the pain he’d gone through then he wanted to do it.

He didn’t tell Greg that Jesse had teased a potential reward if he did a good job. He knew his brother would just say their father had lied to him but he chose to have hope.

The date had been set and plans were in motion until Alex saw his father lingering outside the playroom with his head of security, making sure the cameras in the room were fully functional, that he found himself intervening.

Alex rarely stood up to his father; he knew a losing battle when he saw one but today he was taking a stand. He told Jesse this wasn’t about business; this was a favour they were doing for the man and his nephew. Alex often had no trouble putting on a show for the hidden cameras in the room but he would _not_ subject this Forrest boy to such treatment. His one stipulation was the cameras be turned off but he was genuinely surprised when his father agreed to it.

*

The day, well night, finally arrived and Alex was strangely _nervous_. He didn’t get nervous, not anymore, because there really wasn’t anything left to be shy or nervous about. He thought he’d seen and done it all by now but this was his first time being the one in charge… the one with _experience._

His one fear was that Forrest wouldn’t want him. Was he expected to get forceful? He was used to men manhandling him but didn’t think he’d have the resolve to do such a thing to someone else. He walked in circles around the room, checking that everything was in order. 

Alex wasn’t sure what he was meant to do here; his usual… clients… tended to have demands. He always knew if they wanted him naked or clothed, on the bed or on the couch. He _knew_ where to be and how to be there but this was a blank slate. What exactly was he supposed to do?

He picked up the bottle of wine and examined it closely before dropping it back into the ice bucket. A knock at the door made him freeze, he paused and took a deep breath. He held his head up high and crossed the room, opened the door and smiled at his brother. Greg nodded his head and stepped aside.

Alex’s gaze shifted past Greg to the young man standing behind him. He was slightly shorter than Alex; his hair an unusual shade of blue that clashed rather horribly with the cardigan he was wearing. Forrest was wearing a _cardigan_ and it was actually adorable.

“Hi… uh… Hello,” Alex greeted him.

“Hi… You must be Alex,” Forrest replied.

He extended his hand in greeting and Alex accepted it, gently shaking. They both smiled almost shyly at each other while they continued shaking hands.

“I’m Forrest,” he said. “It’s, uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I understand these are unusual circumstances,” Alex replied. “Please, come in.”

Alex released his hand, nodded his okay at Greg then guided Forrest into the room. He pulled the door closed and stopped to just observe him. Forrest turned around on the spot, his eyes taking in everything within the room.

His gaze fixed upon the shackles on the wall and he turned to Alex, eyes wide in shock.

“Oh, don’t worry about _those_ , they’re for, uh, certain clients,” Alex assured him as he moved to the table. “Drink?”

Alex held up the bottle of wine and Forrest nodded his head in agreement. He opened the bottle and poured a glass before handing it to Forrest.

“Are you not having any?” Forrest asked him.

“Oh, technically, I’m not _allowed_ ,”

“Not allowed?”

“This one time, there was this guy who thought he’d have more fun with me if I was unconscious so he slipped something into my drink… A _lot_ of something into my drink and… I ended up in a coma for three days. So, now I can’t drink while, uh, entertaining.”

Forrest was clearly shocked, didn’t know what to say. Alex tried to think of a way to change the subject. Telling him the aforementioned man _wasn’t_ the worst he’d had might not be his best move so he kept his mouth shut.

Forrest raised the glass to his lips and took a small sip.

“Well, I just had some,” he said as he offered the glass to Alex. “How about a small sip?”

Alex smiled. He reached up and placed his hand over Forrest’s, guided the glass to his own lips and had a sip while holding Forrest’s gaze.

“There, perfectly safe,” Forrest said.

“Thank you,” he smiled. “You’re very sweet.”

“Well, that’s what I was aiming for,”

“So… Are you… nervous?”

“I’m terrified!” He giggled. “You’re nothing like I was expecting.”

“Oh?”

“I mean, my uncle said I’d like you but you’re… beautiful.”

Alex blushed and Forrest smiled. He couldn’t believe _he’d_ made the other man blush like that.

“Sorry, did I embarrass you?” Forrest asked. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s not that, I just… I’m not used to getting compliments,” Alex told him. “I mean, unless they’re ‘you suck cock good’ or ‘yeah fuck me harder you slut’ you know?”

“They call you a slut?” Forrest asked him.

“Amongst other things… Slut, whore, cocksucker, you name it, I’ve been called it,” Alex said with a shrug of his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” 

“Not your fault… I mean, unless you’re planning on calling me any of those things tonight.”

“What? No, never!”

Alex laughed. He reached up and adjusted the collar of Forrest’s cardigan.

“You seem nervous,” Alex said. “But you don’t have to be. We can take this as easy and as slow as you want.”

“I’m sorry but this room is… Is… well, it’s kinda… terrifying…” Forrest admitted. “I mean, chains on the walls? And is that a hidden camera?” He pointed to the ceiling.

“I promise it’s turned off,” Alex assured him as his eyes followed Forrest’s gaze. “Funny, no one has ever noticed it before… But you’re right… You are absolutely right.”

Alex moved to the far end of the room and opened the cupboard. He grabbed the box of condoms and the lube then turned and held his hand out to Forrest.

“Come with me, please?” Alex looked into his trusting eyes and Forrest grasped his hand.

They headed towards the door and Alex kicked it open. He led Forrest through the corridors from this wing of the estate to the wing that housed his own bedroom. Alex pushed this door open and went inside, Forrest silently followed.

Alex turned the light on then tossed the box and the lube onto the bed. He kicked off his shoes and suggested Forrest do the same.

“Is, uh, is this _your_ room?” Forrest asked him.

“What gave it away?” Alex replied.

“It’s just much more… homely… I guess... and you already seem so much more relaxed in here.”

“I’d offer to give you a tour but it’s all pretty clear. Bed, couch, fireplace, walk in robe, that’s about it.”

“Does the fireplace actually work?”

“Sure.”

Alex took his hand and guided him towards the couch that faced the fireplace. He gently pushed Forrest down onto the couch and sat beside him.

“My brother Greg and I only light it in winter, when it gets really cold and we toast marshmallows… when we were kids, we’d spread sleeping bags on the floor and pretend we were camping.”

“That’s kinda cute,” Forrest said. “Did you ever actually _go_ camping?”

“No, my, uh, father never had the time.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“It is what it is,”

Alex got up again and moved to the cabinet where Greg kept his scotch. He poured two glasses and handed one to Forrest.

“Oh, _now_ you can drink?” Forrest teased.

“This is my brother’s stash,” Alex replied. 

“Your brother keeps a stash in your bedroom?”

“Yeah; neither of us can leave so we spend a lot of time-”

“What do you mean you _can’t leave_?” His tone was gentle and sincere, so Alex didn’t want to lie to him.

“My dad keeps us all on a short leash, some shorter than others,” Alex explained before sipping his drink. “You saw those huge iron gates that you passed to get in here?” Forrest nodded. “I haven’t stepped outside of them in years.”

“What?” He asked in disbelief.

“My father knows if, given the chance, I’d run away and never look back… But he has eyes and ears everywhere, he’d find me and drag me back and do even worse things to me.”

“So, you’re a prisoner here?”

“That’s not the word he uses… but, a cage is still a cage, no matter how many acres it spans.”

“You’d really run away and never come back?”

“Yeah,” Alex stated. “You really think this is the life I want for myself?”

“Well, I barely know you; I have no right to judge.”

Forrest averted his eyes, wrapped his cardigan tighter around himself and stared down at the floor. He clearly believed he’d said something to offend Alex. 

It was strange, being with an apologetic stranger. Alex placed his glass aside and pulled his shirt off over his head, tossed it over the back of the couch.

“Here, check this out,” Alex said.

“Wow,” Forrest slowly looked him over then began to blush again. “I’m sorry; it’s just that you’re so… uh… you’re… healthy… I mean, firm… uh… oh man, I’m bad at this.”

Alex softly chuckled to himself.

“Part of the job; I have to work out five times a week to… maintain a certain physique… but I was actually trying to show you my scar…” he reached for Forrest’s hand then guided it to his hip. He felt Forrest’s fingers touch him so gently that he actually held his breath. 

“What happened?” Forrest whispered, his index finger softly tracing the blemished skin.

“The guy was into knife play and I wasn’t,” Alex explained, trying to sound nonchalant. “I got scared and I panicked, moved suddenly and the knife went in too deep… Seventeen stitches.”

“I’m sorry,”

“You sure say sorry a lot.”

“Sorry,”

They both laughed but Forrest’s fingers continued to stroke Alex’s skin. He looked into the man’s nervous eyes and held his gaze.

“Tell me you’ve been kissed before?” Alex asked in a whisper.

“Yeah, a few times,” he replied. “Do, uh, do you kiss much?”

“Uh, kissing is a bit too, uh, intimate for the service I provide most often… So… no, not a lot… But I’m thinking it would be good to break the ice here between us?”

“If you think so then… I trust you,”

Alex swallowed nervously. Only one other man had ever said those words to him and he honestly hadn’t expected to hear them again but there was such a genuine kindness in Forrest’s eyes that made him believe him.

He slowly reached up and gently stroked the man’s cheek. Forrest closed his eyes and leaned into his touch. He drew a breath then released it before he gravitated towards him, tilting Forrest’s head back, he covered the space between them and claimed Forrest’s lips in a gentle kiss.

They each lingered, neither wanting to be the first to pull away. Forrest’s lips parted but Alex didn’t take the plunge. He slowly withdrew and shyly smiled at Forrest.

“Did, uh, did that help?” Alex asked him.

“Ye… I, uh, yeah…” he stammered. “That was… uh…”

“Unexpected?”

“I was going to say… nice.”

Alex blushed. He still wasn’t used to this whole compliment thing.

“If you, uh, want to just… you know… kiss for a little while… get used to or comfortable with each other…”

“Sure,” Forrest eagerly agreed.

They shared another smile before leaning back in for another kiss. Alex shifted his body closer, he encouraged Forrest to touch his chest and his nipples. He not only kissed Forrest’s lips but also his cheeks, his jaw and his neck. When he heard the man’s moans of appreciation, he knew he was doing something right.

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Forrest asked while he was kissing his neck.

“Ask away,” Alex replied. “I mean, I’m about to pop your cherry, might as well get even _more_ personal.”

Forrest chuckled as he tilted his head, giving Alex better access to his neck where he continued placing soft kisses.

“Why are you really doing this for me?” Forrest asked him. “I mean… I know it’s a business arrangement between your dad and my uncle but _why_ are you okay with it?”

Alex paused; his lips still pressed against Forrest’s skin. He immediately contemplated how to answer such a question before he started to pull away.

“I, uh, don’t mean to be rude or anything… I just… Wondering… What exactly do you get out of it?” Forrest finished.

He carefully leaned back and scooted across the couch, away from the other man. Alex picked up the glass, winced at it being empty but he put it back down and looked at Forrest. He knew he had no reason to lie to him but was telling him the _truth_ a great idea?

“Well,” he started. “I mean, firstly, you’re shy and inexperienced which I’m not used to so I’m okay with the change of pace, for once. As you pointed out, _that_ room _is_ very uninviting because it’s supposed to be. The men who use me aren’t there for the romance and the intimacy, they just want to fuck me and some of them… some of them hurt me… So, a chance to spend an evening with someone… _normal…_ is better than I could ever dream of.”

“But _why_ would you want someone with no experience like me?”

“Because I’m doing it for you,” Alex explained, honestly.

“What?”

“Why are you still a virgin?”

“Excuse me?”

“It seems to matter a lot to your uncle that you haven’t had sex yet… so… why haven’t you?”

Forrest got to his feet and moved further away from Alex, headed to the cabinet and poured himself another drink. He downed the contents in one go then looked up to find Alex gazing at him, awaiting an answer.

“My parents died,” he stated, eyes scrunched up as though flinching from the light. “When I was twelve and I would’ve gone into the system but my uncle stepped up and took me in. The day I moved in; I came out to him because if he couldn’t accept me for who I was then I preferred to take my chances in foster care but he was totally cool with it… He just wanted me to be honest with him.” He paused. “And so, I was always honest about my… experiences or lack thereof until I left for college… After I graduated and came home, we never really talked about it until a very awkward conversation in which a friend of his asked how versatile I was and I couldn’t answer because I didn’t know.”

“That’s not what I asked…”

“I never had a boyfriend in middle school or high school; I went on maybe three dates total.” He continued. “I just knew that I wanted my first time to… you know… matter?”

“Matter?”

“I… Wanted it to be _special_ ,” he explained. “You can laugh at me all you want for my ridiculous ideals about love but I just always felt my first time would be with someone I cared about, connected with, loved…” he paused. “Yeah, fine, it’s _dumb_ but all this time I was just waiting for the right person.”

“There is _nothing_ wrong with that idea, not at all,” Alex reached for his hand and Forrest allowed himself to be pulled back to the couch. “And I’m so sorry that your uncle is doing this.”

“Nah,” Forrest shrugged. “I was clearly just too naive.”

“Your first time _should_ be special; you, uh, you know we don’t _have_ to go through with this… There are no cameras in here, no witnesses… We could just _say_ we did stuff and no one would have to know…”

“You would do that for me? You don’t even know me.”

“Your uncle thinks he’s doing the right thing here,” Alex said. “Truthfully, your first time is probably going to suck. My brother, Greg, says his first time was embarrassing and Clay _won’t_ talk about his like at all so you know it must’ve been awkward… So, you can go out and find some hooker to get off with or you can wait until you find that one special person who’ll hold you and kiss you and tell you that he loves you…” he blinked back tears. “And you’ll believe him, and it’ll be the most amazing night of your life and when you’re so overcome with emotions, you’ll cry and he’ll hold you, wipe your tears away…”

Forrest slowly reached up and gently wiped the tears from Alex’s cheek. He instinctively pulled away but immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Alex said.

“No, don’t apologize; I just… was trying to… help,” Forrest whispered.

“I shouldn’t have… cried,” 

“It’s okay to have emotions,” he assured him with a gentle smile. “Was that what your first time was like? Awkward but romantic?”

“Not even close,” Alex whispered, averting his eyes.

“Will you tell me about it?” Forrest asked him. “About your first time…”

“You don’t want to hear it.”

“No, I do… I _really_ do, please?” He carefully reached for Alex’s hand, their fingers naturally entwining. “Please, tell me about it.”

“I had just turned fifteen,” Alex began. “And one of my father’s potential investors showed up for a meeting. I was the only one home so I invited him in and took him into a room to wait for him… He was impatient so I called my father and said he was held up but to make sure he didn’t leave. Obviously, I had no idea how to do that but the man had ideas of his own…” he paused, his fingers tightening in Forrest’s. “He forced himself on me; I screamed for help and _his_ assistant came running but once he saw what was happening… he held me down to make it easier for his boss to hurt me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Forrest whispered. Tears trickled down his own cheeks at Alex’s story.

“My father walked in as it was happening and immediately called security to make sure the cameras in the room had recorded it,” he added. “Then he told his investor that he wouldn’t press charges so long as the man invested in the company.”

Alex saw the horrified expression on Forrest’s face and he hastily wiped his own tears away.

“You asked why I want to do this for you,” he added. “It’s because I know what it’s like to be forced into it, be taken against your will, and I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone… You want your first time to be gentle? For him to be patient? You want him to go at your pace? _I_ can do that for you… I won’t get violent or angry or try to hurt you in any way because you shouldn’t have to have the type of memories that I do.”

Forrest gently squeezed Alex’s hand.

“After everything you’ve been through, you actually care enough about a stranger like me?” He asked him.

“A lot of people wouldn’t, but yeah I do, and I meant what I said… We can easily just pretend we did it, no one would have to know the truth. You ever seen that movie where the high school girl pretends to sex with her classmates while they study ‘The Scarlet Letter’?”

Forrest began to laugh which made Alex smile.

“Surprisingly, yes, I have seen that movie _and_ read The Scarlet Letter too… I’m kinda surprised you’ve seen it though.”

Alex pointed to the giant flat screen TV mounted above the fireplace.

“When you have as much downtime as I do and absolutely nowhere to go, you gotta pass the time somehow,” Alex explained. “We could even watch it now if you want?”

“You’d rather just sit here and watch a movie instead?” 

“Only if you don’t want to have sex with me,”

“It’s not that I don’t _want_ to,” He started. “Because a part of me does… since my uncle went to a lot of trouble to organize this and you’re really beautiful… Like, so far out of my league beautiful…”

“Hey!” Alex argued but he was blushing again.

“Just… a guy like me would normally have no chance with a guy like you.”

“That’s not true; if we’d met in high school or even college, I think we would’ve been friends,”

“Yeah, right! I was a poetry geek, and spent all my time in the library… just reading books and writing terrible poetry.”

“And I was a music nerd… I would’ve spent all my time in the music room, playing my guitar. I bet I would’ve asked you for help on song lyrics at some point.”

“Do you still play?”

“Do you still write?”

“I try…”

“Come on,”

Alex pulled Forrest to his feet and they started towards the bedroom door. When he asked where they were going now, Alex didn’t reply, he just tugged him along. They hurried along the corridor, bare feet not making a sound. Alex threw open the door and turned the light on.

The room housed every musical instrument Forrest could imagine though most were shoved in the very far corner. The walls were lined to make the room mostly soundproof though there was one giant window overlooking the yard.

The pool looked almost magical the way it was lit up and Alex peered down at it, almost longingly.

“This room is incredible!” Forrest exclaimed as he ran from instrument to instrument, wishing he knew how to play _any_ of them.

He turned around as Alex picked up his guitar, placed the strap over his shoulder and began to strum a tune. Standing there with no shoes or shirt on, guitar in hand, Forrest felt _something_ stirring inside him. When Alex began to sing, Forrest had to hide behind the grand piano to cover his excitement.

He’d never heard a voice so stunning in person before. Alex closed his eyes, playing the guitar so effortlessly as the lyrics just rolled off his tongue and Forrest couldn’t help being completely captivated by him. His hand shifted to touch himself through his jeans but he told himself not to, had to try to will himself back into check.

But Alex opened his eyes and smiled at him as he moved closer, walking towards Forrest until he realized he was trapped. Alex’s song came to an end and he pulled the guitar over his head, placed it atop of the piano.

“That was…” Forrest paused, wracking his brain to think of a poetic way to describe the most stunning thing he’d ever heard. “Impressive.”

Alex stepped closer to Forrest, moving into his personal space, effectively trapping him between Alex’s body and the piano. He stared into Forrest’s eyes as he reached out and cupped his hardness through his jeans.

“So is this,” Alex said to him. “Impressive, I mean.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to… to…”

“Get turned on?”

Forrest nodded his head but despite the nerves inside him, he leaned forward and kissed Alex’s lips. In turn, Alex unbuttoned Forrest’s pants, lowered the zip and plunged his hand inside the man’s underwear.

The second Alex’s fingers touched his skin, Forrest thought he was going to come. He’d never had penetrative anal sex but he _had_ given and received a few hand jobs over the years not to mention the occasional blowjob but damn Alex’s fingers just did _something_ to him.

“Oh, fuck,” Forrest murmured into their kiss. He pulled away just far enough to utter “if I come in my pants, I _will_ die of embarrassment.”

Alex’s laughter was like soft music in his ear and he blushed as Alex kissed him once more but then he felt his pants being lowered, slipping away so his fully erect cock was on display. There was no time for embarrassment though for Alex hoisted Forrest onto the piano then dived between his legs, taking him into his mouth and making him yelp.

“Oh God, oh fuck, oh, oh, ohhhhhhh…. fuck!” Forrest wasn’t able to think coherently as Alex’s mouth and tongue went to town on his hard cock. He’d never experienced anything like it before and tried desperately hard not to think about how much practice it had taken for him to acquire such a skill.

He couldn’t bring himself to move or touch Alex in any way; worried of doing something wrong or something he wouldn’t like. When he pulled away, looked up at Forrest with his deep and expressive eyes, Alex told him it was ‘okay to fuck my mouth’ and Forrest just groaned. He began to buck his hips and Alex took it all in his stride… not that he lasted long as it was anyway.

Forrest came in quick succession and Alex, skilfully, swallowed him down. He hadn’t been expecting such a gesture but damn it was _hot_. When Alex sank back onto his hunches and peered up at Forrest, all he could do was slide off the piano and drop to the floor opposite him. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Forrest leaned forward and kissed him.

“Thank you,” he whispered to Alex. “Thank you.”

He wrapped his arms around Alex and pulled him into a tight hug. Alex himself was still savouring the taste of Forrest in his mouth but when he felt the other man’s arms around him, he froze. Then he heard him whispering words of gratitude in his ear and he closed his eyes, leaned in to the embrace. 

Alex could remember all too vividly the last time someone had held him like this and thanked him with such loving honesty. He squeezed his eyes shut to hold back his tears as he stayed in Forrest’s arms and for a teeny, tiny moment, he never wanted the moment to end.

But end it did when Forrest placed a kiss to Alex’s forehead and pulled away while pulling his pants back up, tucking himself back into his underwear.

“Uh…” Forrest cleared his throat. “So, do I… uh… return the favour here or should we go back to your room?”

“What?” Alex frowned at him.

“I mean, my technique may not be as… polished… as yours but I have given head a few times in my life so… I, uh, would like to, you know? I mean, if that’s okay with you?”

“You’re asking permission to suck me off?”

“Well, yeah, it’s the polite thing to do.”

Alex reached for his hand and smiled at him as he climbed to his feet then helped Forrest up too.

“This is _your_ night; you can do anything you want to me; you don’t have to ask.” He said.

“But I want to _ask_ because I want to know that you’re okay with it. I don’t want to say or do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

“As long as you don’t drug me, chain me up, tie me down, stab me or pee on me, you’re good to go.”

“Can we go back to your room and talk a little bit more?”

“Sure,”

Alex held Forrest’s hand as they crossed the room, he opened the door and cast his eyes around one last time. They left together, Alex killed the lights then pulled the door to, before they made their way back to Alex’s room. They both collapsed on the couch and peered at each other from opposite ends of the couch.

“This doesn’t have to be a tit for tat arrangement, okay?” Alex said. “Just because I sucked you off, you don’t have to… there’s no pressure for you to-”

“Do you _want_ to have sex with me?” Forrest cut him off. “You said we could just fake it; you said this is just a favour you’re doing but is it something you actually _want_ to do?”

“That’s… Not something I get asked often,” he admitted, thinking it over very quickly. “I appreciate having the option to say ‘no’ which is essentially what would happen if we didn’t go through with it… But, honestly and truthfully, between you and me…” he paused, again. “Yeah, I do.”

“You _do_? You know nothing about me but you’d crawl into that bed,” he pointed over his shoulder to Alex’s bed, “right now and have sex with me without hesitation.”

“Yes, I would… _But_ there would be hesitation because I would wait for your consent every step of the way.”

“Why would you do that for me if you’re not getting anything out of it yourself?”

“What makes you think I’m not getting anything out of it? I get to have sex with a really cute guy.”

It was Forrest’s turn to blush.

“A nervous, inexperienced guy,” he argued.

“You’re idealistic and romantic and very sweet… so, you deserve to have a really good first time and I can give that to you because no one should have to experience what _I_ did for my first time. _And_ frankly, it would be a nice change of pace.”

“How so?”

“You offered to suck my dick,” Alex stated. “I can count on one hand how many times someone has offered to do that for me… Because, in my experience, the guys my father has me… entertaining only care about getting themselves off. They use and abuse me for their… gratification but once they get their rocks off, they’re done. Most of the time my body reacts accordingly but they don’t care if I enjoy what they’re doing to me.”

“So… no one has ever… gotten you off?”

“Not exactly; there have been a few over the years who… got off on watching _me_ get off but they’re few and far between… And, like I said, I’m a guy so my body can and often does respond to the stimulation… But it would be nice to be with someone on equal ground; someone who’ll just enjoy it for what it is… someone who’ll want to kiss me during or even after…”

Forrest leaned over and kissed him.

“And before,” Forrest added. Alex smiled.

“My roundabout point is… What happens tonight is up to you. You offered to suck my cock and you can, if you want to, or I can fuck you with it… if you want to… Or, we can just sit here and watch a movie and if anyone asks, the foreplay lasted longer than the sex and you cried when you came.”

“That’s the story you’ll tell people? That I _cried_?”

“Well… It was your first time; your ass was way too tight and I was overly enthusiastic… This way, your uncle won’t ask for any other details and your apparent embarrassment would be reason enough for you to avoid trying to have sex again for at least a few months, buying you more time to find that special someone.”

“Honestly… the more we talk, the more okay I am with the idea of you being my first,”

“So, do you wanna talk a little more then?”

“Yeah…” Forrest smiled and looked away. “But… Can we maybe talk on the bed? Ease into it a bit?”

“Sure.”

Fingers entwined, hands clasped, Alex stood up and pulled Forrest to his feet. He guided him towards the bed and they both climbed onto the mattress.

“Did you want to lie down or…?” Alex asked.

“Uh, sitting is fine,” Forrest replied. “Can we keep holding hands?”

“Okay,”

Alex reached up and gently stroked Forrest’s cheek before softly brushing his thumb across his lips. Forrest held back a small gasp but he didn’t pull away, savoring the feeling of Alex’s hands on him.

“So, you’ve never… uh… Am I your first virgin?” Forrest asked.

“Yeah,” Alex replied. “But I’m cool with it.”

“What if I’m really bad at it?”

“You’ll be fine, I promise,”

“But I-”

“You’ll be _fine_ ; trust me.”

“I do.”

Alex swallowed back his next words, nothing seemed appropriate after what Forrest had just said. Only one other person had ever trusted him and he was determined to live up to their trust.

When Forrest placed a gentle kiss to the tip of Alex’s thumb, his heart skipped a beat. He _really_ wasn’t used to someone being so gentle with him.

“Do you still want to keep talking?” Alex whispered. 

Forrest shook his head and leaned closer, lips coming together for another kiss. It was slow and gentle, Alex reached up and very carefully pushed Forrest’s cardigan from his shoulders. In turn, he slid his arms around Alex’s waist.

Arms around each other, they both lie down, Forrest’s head upon Alex’s pillow. They exchanged lingering, heated kisses as Alex slowly ground his hips against Forrest’s.

“Is this okay?” Alex whispered.

“Feels good,” Forrest replied. “ _So_ good!”

Alex smiled and began to tease his neck as they continued to grind together. Forrest moaned with delight as Alex’s lips moved across his skin, his fingers sliding under his shirt.

Forrest’s hands slid down Alex’s chest to the waistband of his pants and began to unbutton the crotch but he hesitated to slide his hand inside until Alex whispered it was okay.

They both took things very slowly, with Alex asking Forrest of his comfort each step of the way. In return, Forrest never touched Alex without consent even though Alex had expressed nothing but enthusiasm the entire time.

He’d expected Forrest to be shy once he was naked but the other man had nothing to be bashful about. His compact body was much fitter than Alex had expected and he made a point of kissing and caressing every inch of it, to very appreciative sounds from Forrest.

When things began to get extremely hot and heavy, there was whispered discussion about positions and roles but Forrest was perfectly content to place himself in Alex’s capable hands. Those very hands that had touched and caressed him, were now pressing inside him and all he wanted to do was scream in pure ecstasy.

He kept himself firmly in check while Alex took an exceedingly and deliberately long time to prepare him. Despite his earlier orgasm, Forrest was already painfully hard by the time Alex deemed him ready for the next step.

“Last chance,” Alex whispered in his ear. “There’s still time for you to say no and we can stop.”

“No! Don’t stop!” Forrest gasped. “Please don’t stop; I want this, I want you, please? Please?”

Alex captured Forrest’s lips in a deep kiss and he slowly edged inside him; very slowly. Forrest gasped and moaned against him as Alex carefully inched further and further into him. He repeatedly asked if he was okay but Forrest simply moaned in response.

He hadn’t known what to expect but Forrest was much more vocal than he’d anticipated and a part of Alex definitely liked that. He appreciated the sounds he made, the enthusiastic cries and the way he begged and pleaded for _more_.

Alex himself hadn’t experienced anything like it before and it made him feel good, knowing his actions were giving such pleasure to Forrest. When his cock brushed his prostate, Forrest’s entire body shuddered and he pulled Alex into a deep kiss. Alex wasn’t used to _that_ either. The feeling of being pulled closer, being kissed so heatedly and desperately while fucking… while having sex… while making love?

That’s what he was doing, wasn’t he? He was making Forrest’s first time special; gentle and slow and caring and loving… So, he didn’t _love_ him, didn’t know him well enough for it to be that but Alex had known love himself, knew what it felt like to make love with someone and he was recreating that for Forrest.

“Alex,” Forrest gasped. “I’m gonna… gonna…”

Not all men were as thoughtful as Forrest but Alex knew _all_ the signs. It was still very sweet to be given a vocal word of warning though. He wrapped his fingers around Forrest’s cock, pumping him, working him, milking him as his seed spilled forth all over Alex’s hand and his chest.

Alex was used to men coming all over him but this felt so different. Was it because they’d been looking into each other’s eyes when Forrest came? Was it because Alex was working his sweet spot while they exchanged deep kisses? Was it because he was the one on top, towering over Forrest in the missionary position instead of his usual place as someone _else’s_ fuck-toy?

“I’m close, too,” Alex whispered. “So close,”

“Fuck it feels _good_ ,”

“It’s even better without the condom,”

“Did you want to take it off?”

“No, it’s fine; I’m clean, I promise but this is better… Save something for you to experience next time you fuck someone,”

Forrest pulled Alex into another kiss but a few thrusts of his hips and Alex came, his seed spilling into the condom as they rode out Alex’s orgasm together. Both were panting, exchanging kisses before Alex collapsed on the bed beside Forrest. He felt the other man nudge closer to him but Alex immediately leapt out of bed and made his way into his private bathroom. He discarded the condom then cleaned himself off but when he turned around, he was surprised to find Forrest standing behind him. He immediately took a damp cloth, wiped the cum from Forrest’s body and the lube from his ass. 

Neither of them said a word to each other until they were done. Alex led the way back to his bed and crawled under the covers, he pulled them back and silently invited Forrest to join him.

Forrest scrambled in after him and immediately settled in Alex’s arms, head resting upon Alex’s chest.

“Who was he?” Forrest asked very softly.

“Who was who?” Alex replied as he brushed his fingers through Forrest’s messy blue locks.

“Who was the man who held you in his arms and told you that he loved you?”

Alex froze; Forrest’s hair twirled around his index finger as he stared down at the top of his head. His heart skipped a beat or two.

“You don’t have to tell me, it’s okay,” Forrest added. “I was just wondering is all.”

He knew he meant it, too. That he didn’t have to tell him but a part of him _wanted_ to. He’d never been able to talk about him before.

“He was my dad’s first business partner. Their fathers formed the business and passed the Legacy on to them… But Jim had addiction problems… drinking and gambling. He often got himself into debt and sold more and more of his stake in the business to my dad to cover himself. It went on for years but he didn’t sober up until after he found out what my dad was using _me_ for but by then he had next to nothing left to barter with,” Alex explained. “After that guy drugged me and nearly killed me, Jim promised he’d get me out of here… He tried to threaten my dad but dad thought they were empty threats and… I didn’t ask the details but to shut him up, dad gave me to Jim for a night.”

“I’m sorry, _what_?” Forrest asked.

“I don’t think my dad ever expected anything to happen between us. Like he thought I’d talk him down, tell him that I enjoyed what I did and make Jim see reason… We stayed up all night, talking, and it was nice to not have to meet expectations. But I’d had a crush on him for as long as I could remember and I asked him… asked him what it felt like to be in love, to be loved, to make love… and he kissed me then promised to show me,” he paused. “That was when I realized he felt the same way I did and that night was… the most amazing night of my life because I finally knew what it felt like to love and be loved in return,”

“Wow,” Forrest whispered.

“In the morning, he promised he’d find a way to get me away from my father for good. He said he was going to go to the police and tell them everything… Jim and my dad both would’ve gone to jail; Jim asked me if I’d wait for him to get out and I knew I would… He kissed me goodbye and he left…”

“But your father didn’t go to jail?”

“Jim’s car… he got into an accident after he left here and was killed instantly,” Alex blinked back tears. “The last time I left these grounds was to attend his funeral.”

“Alex, I’m so sorry.”

“My dad will do _anything_ to protect his investments,” he added. “And a part of me _hates_ that I’m one of them… that doing stuff like this is the only time my dad actually gives a shit about me. You’re lucky your uncle cares as much as he does.”

Forrest turned and pressed a kiss to Alex’s chest before he crawled up and wrapped his arms around him, pulled him into a hug and just held him. Alex hadn’t been expecting it, felt the tears slipping down his cheeks and he clung to Forrest in a way he’d never done with anyone before. It felt nice.

*

He heard a gentle knocking at his bedroom door and, being careful not to wake Forrest, he quietly hurried across the room and opened the door a fraction. Greg was waiting in the hall, looking at him almost expectantly.

“Shhhhhh,” Alex hissed. “Don’t wake him!”

“He’s still _here_?” Greg gasped. “You weren’t in the playroom so I thought you were done hours ago…”

“Shhhh, he’s asleep, so, go away,”

“Alex? Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“Yes! He needs to rest because I wore him out, okay? Come back later!”

Alex closed the door in his brother’s face and hurried back to the bed but Forrest was beginning to stir.

“What time is it?” Forrest yawned; eyes still closed.

“It’s really late or super early, depending how you look at it,”

“Should I, uh, go?”

“Only… uh… if you want to… I don’t, uh, mind if you’d like to stay a little longer...”

“Could I… stay till morning?”

Alex paused as he started to pull the blankets up. He was asking to stay all night, what was Alex supposed to say to that? The truth? That he _wanted_ him to stay…

“You can stay as long as you like,” Alex replied.

“Thank you,”

He’d just settled back in bed when he felt Forrest’s body pressing against his, felt his arm sneak around him and he smiled to himself. He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

*

Alex had almost expected things to be awkward between them especially when Forrest awoke to discover his cock was pressed against Alex’s ass. He murmured an apology but didn’t pull away in embarrassment, choosing to kiss Alex’s neck instead.

The next thing he knew, they were kissing and Forrest was climbing on top of him. He was ridiculously okay with this and stopped just long enough to ask if Forrest wanted to have sex again. 

They playfully giggled while they rolled around in Alex’s bed, exploring each other’s bodies again before engaging in more. This time, Alex surrendered himself to Forrest _and_ allowed him to bareback. This was what he was used to but it felt so different with someone who genuinely appeared to _care_ about him.

Alex’s alarm sounded and his heart sank. By all accounts, his time with Forrest had been _fun_. He watched as Forrest scurried around the room, looking for his clothes. Once dressed, he returned to Alex’s side and knelt on the floor. He took Alex’s hand in his and kissed his palm just as there was a loud knocking at his door.

Forrest pulled away and headed across the room. He opened the door to find a very surprised Greg eyeing him. Forrest turned around, smiled at Alex and followed Greg. Once the door had closed behind him, Alex looked down at his hand and smiled

***

Jesse didn’t ask for any details of Alex’s activities the previous night or that morning but he did make a point of acknowledging Forrest had stayed all night. Alex was waiting for a pointed remark of some kind but his father simply told him he’d done well.

He had to fight back the urge to smile. Being told he’d ‘done well’ was about as close to a compliment as his father would ever give him so he knew not to press for more.

After they’d eaten, Alex hurried back to his room and sat on the couch, admiring the small gift Forrest had given him. His father had told him if he slept with Forrest, he could have a reward so now Alex needed to think of something within reason his father would actually say yes to. His only thought right now was the possibility of seeing Forrest again.

He laughed at the idea, trying to think of any scenario in which his father would allow him to date the blue haired boy… As if Forrest would even want to see him again.

“Knock, knock!”

Gregory announced himself at Alex’s door and marched right in. From the look on his face, it was clear Greg was here to tease him for keeping Forrest all night but he paused when he saw what Alex was holding in his hand.

“Where did you get that?” Greg asked.

“Nowhere,” Alex immediately tried to hide from him.

“Alex, come on!” He grabbed his brother’s wrist and pried the tiny ceramic pig from his hand. It was barely the size of a thimble but it was very cute. “This is new, right?”

“It was a gift,” he admitted. “From Forrest…”

“He gave you a ceramic pig?” Greg burst out laughing but Alex snatched it back, cradling it like it was the most precious thing he owned… which it was.

“He said he brought chocolates too but you stole them,” Alex stated.

“They _were_ delicious,” Greg shrugged.

“He told me that he loves to read and his favourite book growing up was ‘Charlotte’s Web’ but he had a fear of spiders so he favoured Wilbur… He said it was silly but he wanted to give me something personal to remember him… you know, because his virginity wasn’t personal enough,” he tried to laugh at his own joke but couldn’t because looking at the tiny pig just made him want to cry.

“He seemed like a nice guy,” Greg said.

“Yeah,” Alex smiled. “He was… he was really nice,”

***

Alex only had one chance; one reward, and he knew he couldn’t waste it. He needed to make sure he asked for something reasonable and achievable. Something his father wouldn’t say no to but the one thing he wanted above all else was to leave the grounds… 

He lingered outside his father’s office until he was certain the only other person in there was his brother, Clay. Alex knocked on the door then wandered in. Being direct was always the best option.

“Alex, we’re just in the middle-” Clay began.

“Then I’ll make this quick,” Alex cut him off. “Dad, a few weeks ago, you said if I… I did as you asked and there would be a reward,”

“You want money?” Clay asked. “Well, I supposed if you’re going to _act_ like prostitute-”

“I _don’t_ want money! I want to leave,” Alex saw the way his father’s nostrils began to flare. “The grounds for an hour, that’s all! I promise, I’ll come back… Hell, you can send Flint or Clay with me, I’ll wear the ankle monitor, anything… just please?”

“Why? Where do you wish to go during this hour of freedom?” Jesse asked.

“Mont Royal Cemetery,” Alex replied.

“Okay,” Jesse said.

“What?” Both Alex and Clay said at the same time.

“I said okay… Clay, take your brother there right now before I change my mind.”

“Are you serious?” Clay argued.

“Clay, either you or Flint are to take him there right now,”

“We’re in a meeting,”

“Then send for Flint.”

Alex didn’t wait to hear the end of their argument, he turned and hightailed it from the room. Taking the stairs two at a time, he ran into his room and hurried to change from his raggedy old clothes into something nicer. He then raced to the front door and waited for one of his brothers to show up.

Flint didn’t look impressed but he was very smug as he locked the ankle monitor onto Alex’s leg. Sure, it was embarrassing that this was how his family treated him but without the monitor, his brothers and his father didn’t trust him not to run away.

Alex walked across the grounds to the garage where Flint’s driver was waiting for them. Flint shoved Alex into the car but he didn’t care how rough his brother got with him, he was actually leaving the grounds.

He stared out the window, fascinated by how much had changed while he’d been locked away in the grounds of his family’s estate. The last time he’d been out was to attend Jim’s funeral.

The second he stepped out of the car he remembered his way to the gravesite. Flint didn’t follow him which he was thankful for but as his feet carried him closer and closer to the headstone, Alex could feel tears forming in his eyes.

He paused just shy and his heart ached when he saw a bunch of wilted flowers at the base. Had Kyle been here? He reached out a hand and touched the bouquet. Two of the petals fell off and fell to the ground. 

His eyes flicked up to the tombstone and he ran his finger over the engraving, tracing the letters of Jim’s name. Alex blinked back tears as he tried to think of _anything_ to say.

“Hey, Jim,” Alex whispered. “Sorry I haven’t come by before now but… well… you know…” he nodded at the monitor on his ankle. “It’s just not the same now that you’re gone and I miss you… I miss you so much,”

He picked up the flowers and wished he’d thought to bring some himself. It wasn’t right that he’d come empty handed to the resting place of the man he loved. These ones had seen better days but it didn’t seem right to remove them either.

Alex stayed on his knees; his hand pressed to the stone of the grave as tears continued to spill down his cheeks.

He heard a rustle of someone stepping on dry leaves behind him and immediately thought it was his brother. Alex spun around and looked up at him then gasped. Standing behind him wasn’t his brother but Forrest. He was holding a bunch of flowers in his hand.

“Forrest?” Alex stumbled to his feet.

“Sorry, it looked like you were having a moment and I didn’t want to interrupt,” Forrest replied.

“What are you doing here?”

“I, uh, brought fresh flowers…” Forrest held up the bouquet to show him. “To replace… those…”

“These are from you?” Alex asked, looking at the old ones in his hand.

“Yeah…”

“How? I mean… why?” 

“The way you talked about him; he was important to you. So, I googled him and wanted to pay my respects since I figured you don’t… not that you don’t _want_ to but because you said you don’t go out these days and…”

“Really?”

“Well… yeah, I wanted to do something nice for you and for him… to thank him for caring about you and…”

“You’re sweet,” Alex said with a smile. “Very, very sweet.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here so, uh, look, you weren’t supposed to find out about this…”

Alex moved towards Forrest and took his hand.

“I’m really touched,” Alex explained. “That you would go to all this trouble for me and for Jim… Me, a person you barely know, and Jim, a man you never met…”

“After you and I… No matter what, you’ll always be special to me and… I, uh, never thought I’d see you again but this was my way of… I don’t know… I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry, this was a beautiful gesture… I was mad at myself for not bringing flowers.”

Forrest immediately held the flowers out to Alex.

“Then you should give these to him,” Forrest said to him.

“They’re from you, I shouldn’t…” Alex said.

“We can do it together…”

Forrest clutched Alex’s hand and they walked back to the grave site together. They both knelt on the ground and placed the flowers neatly where they belonged.

“Thank you,” Alex whispered to both of them.

They stayed for a long time, Alex clutching Forrest’s hand in his while he stared at Jim’s headstone.

But the time finally came for him to go and Flint interrupted, grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled him away. As Alex followed his brother back to the waiting car, he looked over his shoulder at Forrest and waved… not knowing when he’d be back or if he’d ever see Forrest again.

He hoped he would though… He really hoped.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is tagged for Rape/Non-Con because of the nature of Alex's predicament. 
> 
> There is no graphic descriptions of any Non-Con but it is mentioned and alluded to at times.
> 
> Also, any mentions of Alex/Jim's sexual relations is also mentioned, not shown/described... So if you're not sure about reading because of *that* please note it's not graphic either


End file.
